Sheetz Makes Its Way To Philadelphia With A Storefront Right Across From Its Rival - Tasting Table

"If you don't live in Pennsylvania the idea of a convenience store/gas station opening up across the street from another one might seem mundane, but most places don't have a rivalry like Sheetz and Wawa. At this point the love and regional pride for these two companies is pretty well known nationwide, but what you might not know is just how regional the divide is within the Keystone State."

"Starting next month Sheetz is striking directly at the heart of Wawa's territory, opening up its first location in the Philadelphia area. Not only that, but the new location in Royersford will be directly across the street from an existing Wawa location. Prior to this opening the closest Sheetz had gotten to Philly was outside Reading, about an hour and a half west of the city."

"Wawa dominated the Philly area and Sheetz peddled its food and coffee in west and central Pennsylvania. The rivalry was more one of regional identity than actually choosing to go to one over the other. Both Sheetz and Wawa expanded outside of the state - with Wawa currently having around 1,100 locations in 13 states and Sheetz having more than 800 stores in seven - but even there"

Sheetz is opening its first Philadelphia-area location in Royersford directly across the street from an existing Wawa. Sheetz was founded in Altoona in 1952 and historically served western Pennsylvania, while Wawa has been an eastern Pennsylvania phenomenon. The two brands show a stark regional divide and rarely competed directly until the Royersford opening. Prior to this, the closest Sheetz to Philadelphia was near Reading, about an hour and a half west. Recent customer-satisfaction data tie Sheetz and Wawa as the second-best convenience stores nationally. Both chains have expanded beyond Pennsylvania into multiple states.

Read at Tasting Table